Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 21, 2013
I found this Cincinnus puzzle very much like his last one in this space. That is, trickier than usual with a couple of very challenging clues (16 and 27). As usual it also has some gems, my top picks being 9A (GET ON), 15A (PICK) and 7D (SPIDER).
ACROSS
1 Set sail, going out to receive country singer (5,6)
SACHA DISTEL – CHAD (country) in anagram of SET SAIL. I wonder if younger solvers know of Sacha Distel. He was well known in my younger days.
7 Drain starts in St Albans, ending in Ruislip (3)
SAP – S[t] A[lbans] [ruisli]P
9 What boarders do in good school (3,2)
GET ON – G (good) + ETON (school)
10 Punishment by parent in basic training (9)
GROUNDING – double definition
11 Buzz Lightyear’s first seen after Enoch arranged to take friend out (5,4)
PHONE CALL – anagram of ENOCH + L[ightyear] together in PAL (friend)
12 Return to render (5)
YIELD – double definition
13 The cost of keeping soldiers in step (7)
STORAGE – OR (soldiers) in STAGE (step). ‘Soldiers’ is occasionally used to clue OR which stands for “other ranks”.
15 Play guitar with Cream? (4)
PICK – double definition
18 Swedish star shedding old clothes (4)
GARB – GARB[o]
20 Deliver complete collection for nothing (3,4)
SET FREE – SET (collection) + FREE (for nothing)
23 Blandings Castle butler, Emsworth’s first, entertained by composer (5)
BEACH – E[msworth] in BACH (composer). Beach was the butler in PG Wodehouse’s tales of Blandings Castle — not that I knew that going in.
24 False bedding material in bed? (5,4)
LYING DOWN – FALSE (lying) + DOWN (bedding material)
26 A jolly vigorous trumpeter (9)
ARMSTRONG – A (a) + RM (jolly) + STRONG (vigourous). ‘Jolly’ is an informal term for a Royal Marine (RM). The trumpeter is, of course, Louis Armstrong.
27 Love goddess following philosopher from the east (5)
FREYA – F (following) + AYER (philosopher) backwards (from the east)
28 Principle of Chinese figures in Amnesty International (3)
YIN – hidden word
29 Criminal freed at once discovers accomplice (11)
CONFEDERATE – anagram of FREED AT ONCE
DOWN
1 Write your name on letters for the director (8)
SIGNPOST – SIGN (write your name) + POST (letters)
2 Material attached to twig (6,2)
COTTON ON – COTTON (material) + ON (attached to)
3 Musical heroine in Vienna not originally dancing (5)
ANNIE – anagram of [v]IENNA
4 One doesn’t appreciate swimming in Tangier (7)
INGRATE – anagram of TANGIER
5 Novelist discarding first bit of excess baggage (7)
TROLLOP – TROLLOP[e] (baggage with E[xcess] discarded)
6 Recreational vehicle for salt of the earth? (4,5)
LAND YACHT – cryptic definition with ‘salt’ meaning sailor
7 Creator of web page, drunk, dries out (6)
SPIDER – P (page) in anagram of DRIES
8 Temple of a deity in Pennsylvania? (6)
PAGODA – A (a) + GOD (deity) in PA (Pennsylvania)
14 One way to refer to rising, showing no enthusiasm (9)
APATHETIC – A (one) + PATH (way) + CITE (refer) backwards
16 Shocking aberration? Not in such growth areas (8)
ARBORETA – anagram of ABERRAT[i]O[n]. This was tough for me. I am very familiar with arboretum but may never have come across this plural before!
17 Take back fruit, omitting starter (2-6)
RE-ENGAGE – [g]REENGAGE (fruit omitting starter)
19 Swell dog turning up with bird (7)
BALLOON – LAB (dog) reversed + LOON (bird)
20 Short cut that’s found on 23? (7)
SHINGLE – double definition. ‘Short cut’ refers to a haircut called a shingle. It is a short, layered style.
21 Famous foursome cheerfully evacuated religious office (6)
ABBACY – ABBA (famous foursome) + C[heerfull]Y
22 Colour of maiden entering reception room (6)
SALMON – M (maiden) in SALON (reception room)
25 The man in charge has no right to make a mistake (5)
GAFFE – GAFFE[r] (man in charge has no right)
I decided that I’d had enough of Cincinnus after this. I got no pleasure from it and found it too hard. It is rather like going out with a ski guide who takes you down icy couloirs way beyond your ability level and you miserably plod your way down praying that you don’t slip rather than taking you down challenging but skiable slopes.Too many I couldn’t get-for instance
23a If you know Blandings Castle Butler or google it, it writes itself in. Otherwise with no crossing letters, nigh on impossible.
20d If you haven’t got 23a and don;t know that a shingle is a haircut, nigh on impossible.
Bamberger, While I am usually a staunch supporter of Cincinnus, I well appreciate the points you raise. While I am prepared to put up with a few as long as they are few, I also do not care for clues like 23a where one either knows the answer or has little choice but to look it up. On the other hand, with SHINGLE, I give some value to learning the new meaning of the word.